Media > Fast Facts
- Beech Mountain is in Northwestern North Carolina approximately 2 hours from Charlotte and Asheville. Beech Mountain is also 30 minutes from Boone, Blowing Rock, and the Northeastern Tennessee border.
- Beech Mountain (at 5,506 feet) is the highest town in the Eastern United States.
- Summer temperatures rarely exceed 72 degrees on the mountain.
- Annual average snowfall is over 80 inches.
- Ski Beech opened for business in 1967
- The town embraces a wide range of cultural activities: street dances, block parties/town-wide cookouts, and arts and crafts festivals.
- Beech is home to the annual Mile-High Kite Festival-the premier kite festival in the Southeast. The event offers children and adults the opportunity to fly kites over one mile in the air. It also features professional kite-flying clubs, trick kite demonstrations and the world's smallest and largest kites.
- The town is home to the 47th Annual Roasting of the Hog (and Fireworks Spectacular), a town-wide cookout that has become widely popular amongst visitors. Ironically, last year was the 47th Annual, as was the year before and every year before that.
- The town boasts incredible opportunities to view mountain-top wildlife in its most natural state. Tuesday Guided Hikes on Beech Mountain offer visitors the chance to take hikes focusing on the mountain's waterfalls, berry picking, and "flora and fauna" specific to the mountain.
- The Genesis Wildlife Conservation Center, an "Island of Misfits," is home to a wingless raptor, and an owl with a bullet hole in its head. This unique non-profit wildlife center is devoted to the rehabilitation and release of wildlife on Beech Mountain and throughout the area. Sanctuary staff conducts educational programs, and the center is open to the public.
- Beech Mountain sports a wonderful system of trails for mountain bikers, from novice to expert. The seven trails, over 16 miles of spectacular and challenging terrain, will satisfy all riders. Thanks to the efforts of volunteers, the varied trails are beautifully maintained year-round. In addition, a variety of great biking awaits you with the towns 51.2 miles of paved bike routes. Each of the 5 routes begins at the Visitor's Center adjacent to the Town Hall. You will retrace routes used by Lance Armstrong when he trained on the mountain.
- Beech Mountain is known to riders around the world thanks to the Tour DuPont, America's foremost road race that was run through the High Country during the 1980s. The climb up Beech (on Highway 184) was recognized as the toughest leg of them all, four miles long and 2,300 feet steep. Lance Armstrong, trained and raced to victory on Beech Mountain. You can read about it in his book, "It's Not About The Bike."
- Along Buckeye and Coffey Lakes, many local streams are stocked; fishing season begins the first Saturday in April and runs through the end of February. Fishing licenses - require for anyone over the age of sixteen - are available for purchase locally.
- Buckeye Lake, a seven-acre lake at the base of the town, is Beech Mountain's most popular recreation area, with fishing, hiking, bird watching and picnicking being favorite activities. Stocked with trout year-round! State fishing licenses are required.
- The Buckeye Recreation Center is Beech Mountain's new indoor recreation facility. It houses a full-size gymnasium, tennis, meeting areas, fitness area and a kids playroom. The Buckeye Park provides outdoor recreation with tennis courts, walking trail, children's playground and ball field.
BEECH MOUNTAIN BRIEF
(A Fact Sheet of Town Information)
All contents © 2009 Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce
Beech Mountain is located in the High Country of northwestern North Carolina at the end of NC Route 184, three and one-half (3-1/2) miles north of the Town of Banner Elk and 23 miles west of the Town of Boone. The town is approximately 6.46 square miles in size and is located in both Avery and Watauga counties. Beech Mountain is eastern America’s highest town, with a peak elevation of 5,506 feet. The town was incorporated in 1981 and operates under the Council-Manager form of government, with five (5) Council members elected for 4-year staggered terms on a non-partisan basis. The mayor is appointed by a majority vote of the 5-member elected Council, and serves as the Council Chairperson.
Physical facilities and infrastructure of the town includes 20 miles of paved roads and 43 miles of maintained gravel roads; 60 miles of water and 60 miles of sewer lines; a Town Hall; two (2) sewage treatment plants which have the capacity to treat 480,000 gallons of sewage per day; one (1) water treatment plant capable of treating 1,000,000 gallons of water per day; two (2) upland water reservoirs, with over 64,000,000 gallons of water storage capacity and a municipal Recycling Center.
Municipal Services:
The town provides top quality municipal services including a fully equipped police department, enhanced 911 dispatch center, road maintenance, utilities and sanitation services.
A non-municipal Volunteer Fire Department provides fire and first response emergency medical service to the paramedic level from two stations. Their rating class is 6/9. Tax
rate for the town is .55cents per $100 valuation. Recreation center is 23,000 sq feet with indoor tennis, basketball, fitness room and play room offering many activities and events.
Demographics:
There are currently in excess of 2,000 dwelling units within the Town of Beech Mountain, and over 3,000 parcels of undeveloped property. The dwellings are predominantly single-family
detached units. There are no existing substandard housing units within the town. There are approximately 360 permanent 12-month residents with a peak “Service Population” of over
4,000 part-time residents that reside in the town six (6) or more months of the year. The “Service Population” increases to an average of 12,000 daily residents during peak vacation and
tourist seasons of the year.
Real Estate:
Most Beech Mountain lots are approximately 1/3 acre in size (100’x140’) and must have all regular city services: city water and sewer, road maintenance, snow removal, mail delivery, building
and zoning inspection, police protection and emergency medical services. Cable TV is available in most areas. Undeveloped lots range in price from approximately $30,000 to $200,000 and
normally include full club membership. Lots on the golf course or ski slope lots are considered prime locations. There are 29 different condominium projects on Beech Mountain ranging
in size from 4 units to 242 units. Both townhouses and villas are available.
Condominiums begin in the low $90’s for a one bedroom, furnished unit with full club membership and range up to $250,000 for larger units. Homes and chalets have two to seven bedrooms and range from 700 to 13,000 square feet. Prices range from the high $150’s up to above $1.2 million. The average home is 2,000 square feet and sells for $350,000 including the land.
Building costs are very competitive and range from $140 per square foot to $200+ per square foot. Smaller homes cost more per square foot than larger homes. Acreage tracts and commercial building sites are also available. Real estate and development companies are listed in the enclosed brochure from the Chamber of Commerce.
Economy:
The economy is primarily supported by tourism. The Town Tourism and Development Authority collects in excess of $250,000 annually from a 6% room tax. Monies are used to support the
Chamber of Commerce, community events, a town marketing effort and town recreation. The Ski Beech resort is the only industrial development in Beech Mountain. An active Chamber of
Commerce, supported by local businesses and residents, promotes economic and tourism development. Employment is primarily seasonal and opportunities can be found at Ski Beech, the Beech
Mountain Club, real estate and vacation rental offices, restaurants, shops and grocery stores.
Recreation:
Local businesses and many citizens who are outdoor enthusiasts have developed many miles of hiking and biking trails over the years. The 23 miles of hiking trails vary in difficulty from easy
to moderate while the biking trails can be challenging. A hiking trail map is available at the Chamber of Commerce. Guided hikes and workdays are scheduled regularly from April through
October. The Town of Beech Mountain operates a $2.9 million community center that includes indoor tennis and basketball, meeting facilities for 135 people, children’s game room, fitness area,
.10 mile indoor walking track and special occasions room. This building is surrounded by the 43 acre Buckeye Park with a ball field, two outdoor tennis courts, a fenced children’s play area,
1/3 mile fitness trail, nature center, boat dock and picnic shelter. Lake Coffey and Buckeye Lake provide for non-motorized boating, fishing and picnicking. North Carolina fishing
licenses are available at Fred’s General Mercantile.
The Beech Mountain Club, a separately owned and operated private club, boasts a grand, Willard-Byrd designed 18-hole golf course, 200-seat restaurant, driving range, exercise center with trainer, swimming pool, tennis facility, ski lodge and recreation center with year-round and seasonal programs for members and their guests.
Downhill skiing, snowboarding and ice skating are available at Ski Beech between Thanksgiving through mid-March. Cross-country skiing is available on some of the Town’s trails. The Town also operates a free sledding hill for children 12 and under next to the Town Hall.
Weather:
Summer temperatures rarely exceed 72 degrees, with night-time lows in the 50’s. Winter day-time highs average in the low to mid-thirties with night-time lows in the mid-teens. Beech
Mountain experiences an average of 80 inches of snowfall annually. Though all town streets are plowed in winter, 4-wheel drive vehicles or traction devices like tire chains may be necessary
at times while it is snowing and shortly thereafter.
Utilities:
Beech Mountain Utilities provides and maintains water and sewer service. Skyline Telephone Membership Corporation, (828) 898-1350 or (800) 759-2226, provides telephone service and is one source
for Internet access service. Electricity is provided by Mountain Electric Cooperatives, Inc., (828) 733-0159. Natural gas is not available, but there are several propane dealers who service
Beech Mountain. Digital Cable TV service is provided by Charter Communications, 1-800-972-5757 or 1-800-955-7766.
Recycling:
Beech Mountain maintains a comprehensive recycling program. Materials accepted at the Recycling Center include:
- Glass – Clear, brown and green.
- #1 and #2 plastic bottles and jugs with lids removed. No wide mouth jars, motor oil or anti-freeze containers accepted.
- Mixed paper including newspaper, magazines, office paper, computer paper, paper bags, paperboard, brochures, slicks, envelopes and file folders
- Aluminum cans and steel cans. All recyclable metals must be rinsed and clean.
- Corrugated cardboard must not be waxed, wet or contaminated with food. Boxes must be cut down and flattened.
- Tires – Auto, truck and tractor tires must be free of dirt and oil. Remove rims.
- Lead acid batteries – Household discards only.
- Used motor oil, transmission fluid or brake fluid in spill-proof containers. Household discards only.
- Scrap metal – household discards only.
- White goods such as washing machines, dryers, air conditioners, refrigerators, water heaters and dishwashers. These items accepted only on certain days.
- Yard waste is collected curbside by prior arrangements with the Sanitation Department. Items that can be picked up include limbs, branches, and small log sections up to 6” in diameter. Keep leaves separate from other materials.
Note: Homeowner construction and demolition debris is accepted at the Recycling Center on Thursdays only.
Medical Centers:
Cannon Memorial Hospital
Linville Drive, off Highway 181, Linville --- (828) 737-7000
Watauga Medical Center
336 Deerfield Road, Boone --- (828) 262-4100
Important Beech Mountain Telephone Numbers:
Emergency/Fire-Medical-Police……………..911
Beech Mountain Police Department………..(828) 387-2342
Non-Emergency Fire………………………...(828) 387-4612
Town Hall…………………………………….(828) 387-4236
Public Works Department……………….….(828) 387-9282
Tax Collector….…………………..………….(828) 387-4236
Water & Sewer Billing………………………(828) 387-2330
Beech Mountain Club……….………………(828) 387-4208
Beech Mountain Chamber of Commerce…..(828) 387-9283
Church Directory:
There are no churches located in the Town of Beech Mountain, but there is an informal, inter- denominational service held in the Conference Room at 4 Seasons At Beech, 408 Beech Mountain, on Sundays at 10:00 a.m.
Area churches include:
Arbor Dale Presbyterian Church
Hickory Nut Gap Road, Banner Elk --- (828) 898-4628
Banner Elk Christian Fellowship Church
Highway 184, Banner Elk --- (828) 898-9728
Banner Elk Presbyterian Church
Campus of Lees McRae College, Banner Elk --- (828) 898-5406
Banner Elk United Methodist Church
Campus Lees McRae College, Banner Elk --- (828) 898-9729
Church of Christ
Highway 184, Banner Elk --- (828) 898-6724
Mt. Calvary Baptist Church of Banner Elk
Highway 194, Banner Elk --- (828) 898-4735
Seventh Day Adventist Church
Highway 184, Banner Elk --- (828) 898-4643
St. Bernadette Catholic Church
Highway 105, Linville --- (828) 898-6900
St. Elizabeth Catholic Church
259 Pilgrims Way, Boone --- (828) 264-8338
Valley Haven Baptist Church
Beech Mountain Parkway, Banner Elk --- (828) 898-6313
Schools and Colleges
All children 7-16 years of age are required to enroll in school. Children who are 5 years old by October 15 are eligible to attend kindergarten.
There are no schools in the town. Beech Mountain is served by two county school systems, i.e., Watauga County and Avery County. The school system your child attends depends upon the county in which you reside.
Watauga County Board of Education
Jefferson highway, Boone, NC 28607 --- (828) 264-7190
Avery County Board of Education
Highway 184, Newland, NC 28657 --- (828) 733-6006
Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute
Highway 105 and 421, Boone, NC 28697 --- (828) 297-3811
Lees McRae College
Highway 184, Banner Elk, NC 28604 --- (828) 898-5241
Mayland Community College
Highway 19E, Spruce Pine, NC 28777 --- (828) 765-7351
Appalachian State University
Boone, NC 28607 --- (828) 262-2000
Newspapers:
There are four newspapers serving the immediate Beech Mountain area. The High Country News, The Mountain Times and The Avery Journal are weekly papers, while the
Watauga Democrat is published three times a week. The Charlotte Observer, Asheville Citizen, The Wall Street Journal and USA Today are available on Beech Mountain and
off the mountain. There is no home delivery of newspapers available on Beech Mountain.
The High Country News – Boone, NC --- (828) 264-2262
Mountain Times – Boone, NC --- (828) 264-6397
The Avery Journal – Newland, NC --- (828) 733-2448
The Watauga Democrat – Boon, NC --- (828) 264-3612
The Avery Post – Newland, NC --- (828) 733-1407
Voter Registration:
You may register to vote at any public library or at one of the following locations:
Watauga County Board of Elections; (828) 265-8061
Avery County Board of Elections; (828) 733-8282
Drivers License, Tags, Automobile Registration and Vehicle Inspection:
Requirements for a NC Drivers License:
- Newcomers must obtain a North Carolina driver’s license within 60 days of moving to the area.
- Bring your out-of-state license and proof of insurance.
- You are required to pass a written exam and vision test.
- Driver’s licenses cost from $20-$28, payable in cash.
Driver’s license can be obtained at one of the following locations:
- Banner Elk/Avery County, 301 Cranberry Street, Room 103, Town Hall, Newland; Open Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays only; (828) 733-8284
- Boone/Watauga County, 155 Furman Road, Boone; (828) 265-5384
Requirements for Tags and Automobile Registration:
- Newcomers must register their automobiles within 30 days of residency.
- Title fee is $40.
- License plates are $28 for passenger vehicles.
- A one-time highway use fee will be charged, i.e., 3% of vehicle cost or value.
To obtain Tags and Automobile Registration, visit:
Boone/Watauga County, 324 Highway 105 Ext., Boone --- (828) 262-1794
Banner Elk/Avery County, 301 Cranberry Street, Room 103, Town Hall, Newland;
Open Monday-Friday --- (828) 733-6803
Within 10 days of registering your vehicle, you are required to have a vehicle inspection at a participating service station and an appropriate inspection sticker affixed to the windshield. The inspection fee is $9.10.
A BEECH MOUNTAIN HISTORY
Compiled from Works by R. L. Tuten & Sherry Garris
The first known human inhabitants of Beech Mountain were the Cherokee Indians. They called Beech “Klonteska”, or the Pheasant. It was a favorite hunting ground due to the bear, deer, and elk found living here. Arrowheads and pottery shards have been found along the rivers of Beech Mountain township, the Meadows of Beech Mountain, and along the ridges on the northern side of Beech. Local legend tells of a battle between Indian tribes on Beech. One chief had lost so many young men during the fight he, in despair, hanged himself from the top of the rock pinnacles on Beech.
The Great Trading Path that originated in Virginia and stretched across the Carolinas to Georgia is said to have crossed Beech Mountain. Evidence of this is an old knotted tree marker on top of Beech. Indians would knot a young sampling to point in the direction of their camps to aid other Indians in travel. The Beech Mountain tree marker is one of a very few still in existence in the United States. It has grown to over a foot in diameter with a foot trunk spread.
The Great Trading Path originally was an old animal trail that Indians used, and then later white settlers adapted their needs. A number of major cities throughout the South have grown up along these old trails since these were the places pioneers stopped and finally settled. The Beech Mountain marker very likely helped settlers to find and settle the Watauga and Elk River areas.
In 1774 the first white settler to our area was Samuel Bright. Bright helped guide pioneer families from the Yadkin and Catawba River Valleys into the early Watauga settlements. They crossed over the Yellow Mountains on the old Indian trail that later became known as Bright’s Trace.
Samuel Hix and his son-in-law James Holtsclaw settled on the Watauga River near Valle Crucis. They were only 40 miles from Bright’s Settlement yet probably never knew of each other’s existence. Hix moved on into the Elk Valley, near what is now the Grandfather Home in Banner Elk. His home sites became known as the Hix Improvement. An “Improvement” was a settle area too primitive to be called a village, yet still an “improvement” over wilderness.
In 1825 Delilah Baird, daughter of Colonel Bedent Baurd of Valle Crucis, came to the Big Bottoms of Elk, a mile below Banner Elk (approximately the site of the Elk River Airport today). At the time though, she thought she was in Kentucky. Delilah was only 18 when she met the married Deacon John Holtsclaw. The Deacon, a father of seven, convinced the young Delilah to elope with him to a cabin he had built in Kentucky. She agreed, and for days they traveled over mountains and through valleys.
Delilah never realized they were only moving in circles. Finally they reached the small cabin. Delilah was happy in her home in “Kentucky”, and often dug ginseng on what was actually Beech Mountain. One fall day she heard a familiar sounding bell and searching found a cow that resembled one her father owned. As she searched further she found her parents’ farm, only 8 miles as the crow flies from her own on the Elk River.
John and Delilah’s first child, born in 1826, was named Alfred B. Baurd. He is said to be the first white child born in what is today Banner Elk.
Banner Elk was originally called Banner’s Elk. Martin Luther Banner moved to the area in 1845 from the piedmont region. The town was named to describe one side, or Banner’s side of the Elk River. It wasn’t until the postal service requested the change that it became Banner Elk.
During the Civil War, Banner Elk was a stopping point for men who wished to reach Union lines in Tennessee. They would meet in Blowing Rock and move through Shulls Mills, Dutch Creek and Banner Elk, to Shell Creek, Tennessee where Dan Ellis known as “Red Fox” would take them under his charge.
In 1864 the Battle of Beech Mountain was fought. A squad of ten men from Tennessee claiming to be Confederate soldiers raided the area, stealing horses and shooting residents. Major Bingham, Officer of the Confederate Home Guard, made a retaliatory raid. He took a union soldier prisoner at Heaton, and recaptured the stolen horses. Later they passed through Banner Elk and camped about ½ mile outside of the town on Beech Mountain near Balm. Jim Hartley, a Union Scout, was guarding the trail that led from Blowing Rock to Shulls Mills and saw the campfires. He met with Polly Aldridge who lived on Beech Mountain above the campsite. Together, they worked out a plan.
When Bingham broke camp, Polly walked through the group of marching soldiers asking if any of them had seen her spotted cow. After surveying the situation, she ran down the path (now Highway 184) to Bower’s Gap and reported that Bingham had taken an alternate route. Hartley pursued and overtook the marching column and a battle then raged that claimed two lives. It has been know since that time as the “Battle of the Beech”.
In 1895 Edgar Tufts first came to the small village of Banner Elk, and this great man forever altered history. He was not only the founder of Lees-McRae College, but also the founder of Grace Hospital (now Cannon Memorial) and the Grandfather Home for Children. The beauty of the stone buildings in Banner Elk stands as a tribute to this hardworking, wise man.
Another great citizen of Banner Elk was Shepherd M. Dugger, author of the Balsam Groves of Grandfather Mountain and the War Trails of the Blue Ridge. Mr. Dugger loved Beech Mountain dearly and spent many hours hiking its trails.
In 1911 Avery County was formed. Previously all of Beech Mountain had been part of Watauga County. A need for a county seat was established and it was decided it would form the towns of Elk Park, Montezuma, Minneapolis, or the Old Fields of Toe. The Old Fields of Toe had previously been a muster of militia ground before the Civil War. Here men would meet and train in military maneuvers. Thus, it was called the “old fields” of the “Toe” or Estatoe River.
Elk Park at this time was a “boom town”. A major station of the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina Railroad, Elk Park had major hotels and a telephone service. Since “Tweetsie” stopped here often, it was the main trading center for the area. Surreys ran the 8 miles from Elk Park to Banner Elk. Everyone felt sure Elk Park would be chosen as the new county seat. The election was July 1, 1911, and Old Fields of Toe had won. The name was changed to Newland after Lt. Governor William C. Newland. Today it is still the highest county seat east of the Mississippi River. Beech Mountain at this time was an important lumbering area. Small cabins were built where the men lived during the week and on weekends they would go home to their families and farms. Ruins of these lumber camps can still be found in some areas of Beech.
Beech Mountain was also a favorite site for residents of Banner Elk and students of Lees-McRae College to picnic. Horseback riding and mountain hikes were weekend excursions on Beech.
The first account of skiing on Beech Mountain was in the l930’s. Mr. Clinger, the head of the Department of Industrial Education at Lees-McRae College introduced the idea of skiing to his students. The students, who had probably never actually seen skiing before, reacted with enthusiasm. The woodshop at the college was soon producing skis, and Beech Mountain had its first novice skiers. The news media was surprised at the idea of skiing in North Carolina and flocked to cover the novel concept. The Lees-McRae students even established their own ski organization, the Skiing Zero Club. In 1936 and 1942, huge snowstorms hit the area. Over 30 inches of snow fell in a matter of hours. Snowdrifts were measured at over 30 feet deep. Probably the most uncanny weather occurrence was on June 1, 1909, when a two-minute flurry of large snowflakes fell on a relatively normal June day.
In 1941 it was noted that bears were still prevalent on Beech Mountain. Many people still report spotting bears. According to some Banner Elk residents, silver and gold were also found on Beech Mountain during the 1940’s. Two men lumbering on Beech Mountain happened upon some silver nuggets. Legend has it that the two men had an Indian worker who found out about their discovery. Fearful that the Indian might return and rob them of their treasure, they murdered the Indian on the way to Elk Park. After the murder, no silver was ever found on Beech Mountain again.
In 1961 a dentist from Birmingham, Alabama, named Thomas Brigham, purchased a large tract of Beech Mountain land. He planned a ski resort development on top of the mountain. Brigham became involved with politics and sold the land to the Robbins brothers in 1962. Harry and Grover Robbins were originally in the sawmill/lumber business. They soon became interested in development after their success with the Tweetsie Railroad attraction in 1955, and later the Hound Ears Resort. They purchased the lands both on top of the mountain, 7500 acres, and in Banner Elk, 2500 acres (now known as the Elk River Club) under the name of Appalachian Development Corporation during the years between 1965-67 for an average of $350 an acre.
The Robbins joined with other investors and created the Carolina Caribbean Corporation in 1965. The name evolved from the coupling of their Beech Mountain resort with their St. Croix resort in the Virgin Islands. Their dream was to put together 9,000 families on 10,000 acres of land with a property owners association to be formed after a certain percentage of the property was sold. The association was first known as the Carolina Caribbean Club.
To promote land sales, the Carolina Caribbean Corporation enhanced the mountain with a ski resort, a summer recreation area, a golf course and a theme park. The ski area opened for business in the winter of 1967. In 1969, Carolina Caribbean Corporation constructed an Olympic-sized heated pool, 4 tennis courts, a bathhouse, and a gazebo all situated on 13.25 acres of land now known as the Beech Mountain Club Recreation Area. The first 9 holes of the golf course were also completed. 119 acres was designated for the golf area.
The Robbins’ dream continued to develop with the opening of the Land of Oz Theme Park in 1970. The idea was conceived by Grover Robbins, designed by Jack Pentes, and choreographed by Alice Lamar. The first year of operation saw over 300,000 visitors.
The following year, 1971, the remaining 9 holes were completed at the golf course with the hope of constructing two additional courses; one in Banner Elk for tournament play; and a third course in the West Bowl area on Beech Mountain. This course was started but never completed. During the same year, the property owners organized. Many property owners felt that Carolina Caribbean Corporation was applying their money towards their overall support of their sales efforts and neglecting road conditions, long ski lines, and garbage pickup. In early 1972, a Property Owners Association Board of Governors was established to improve relationship with the Carolina Caribbean Corporation hierarchy.
Continuing to expand, the Owners organization secured a space at the end of one of Carolina Caribbean’s warehouses and established the Beech Mountain Volunteer Fire Department. They assumed equipment and the responsibility for fire protection from the Carolina Caribbean Corporation. In 1975 a fire destroyed Land of Oz building “C”, which housed many valuable items. The original 40-year old dress that Judy Garland wore in the MGM production of the Wizard of Oz film and donated by Debbie Reynolds, was believed to have been lost in the blaze. Many believe the dress was actually stolen!
It was a bad year for Carolina Caribbean, for it was also the year they declared bankruptcy. The Land of Oz which had opened in the spring of 1970, closed in 1981.
In 1981 when Beech Mountain incorporated into a town, the Beech Mountain Property Owners Association changed it’s name to the Beech Mountain Club, pursuing only recreation. The town took over municipal services and that same year formed their first police department within the Property Owners Association’s 3 security officers. The Beech Mountain Property Owners Association was able to negotiate with the Developer’s bankruptcy trustee after running all summer and winter facilities for one year. The summer facilities were purchased by the Property Owners Association for $800,000.
The Beech Mountain Club and the Town of Beech Mountain have their roots deeply embedded in the past, but are both reaching for the future. They are anxious to see where the path of the yellow brick road will take them. The man who start it all, Grover Robbins, liked to be known as an “imagineer”, had his ashes scattered over the pinnacle of the mountain. A memorial to Grover, who died on March 4, 1970, is located on the path between the Memorial Outlook and Uncle Henry’s farm in Oz. It read, “Gentlemen, Gather Around and Sing Happy Songs”.